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State of the Labor Market
The COVID-19 crisis has caused major shifts in the labor market this year. In 2020, the labor force fell by 1,757 individuals (2.6 percent) since 2019. Employment decreased by 5,251 workers (8.0 percent), while unemployment grew by more than double (3,494 workers) the 2,678 individuals recorded in 2019. The unemployment rate also rose in 2020, which trends with the shifts caused by the COVID-19. The unemployment rate rose 5.4 percentage points since 3.9 percent in 2019, for an annual unemployment rate of 9.3 percent. Monthly postings data has continued to show shifts in hiring and skills demanded, as the region continues recovery. The health care occupation group was heavily demanded in Lenawee and Hillsdale counties, while Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers is the top demanded occupation this year, accounting for 6,618 postings in 2020.
Annual Labor Market Information
The labor force in Lenawee and Hillsdale counties has decreased in 2020, falling by 1,757 individuals since 2019. Employment decreased by 5,251 workers (8.0 percent) since 2019, while unemployment increased by 3,494 workers for a total of 6,171 unemployed workers in 2020. The unemployment rate dramatically increased in 2020 to 9.3 percent, a rise of 5.4 percentage points since 2019, which had a rate of 3.9 percent. During the height of the pandemic and shutdown measures in March 2020, the highest monthly unemployment rate occurred in April 2020, with an unemployment rate of 27.9 percent in Lenawee and Hillsdale counties.
Annual Labor Force, Employment, Unemployment Rate
2010–2020
Data: BLS | Analysis: Workforce Intelligence Network
Quarterly Employer Demand Overview
The fourth quarter of 2020 indicates that employer demand has increased since the end of Q3 2020. In Q4 2020, there were 8,208 unique postings in Lenawee and Hillsdale counties, an increase of 97 postings from the 8,111 postings recorded in Q3. April had the lowest recorded postings in 2020 with 3,580 postings, a decrease of 2,237 postings (38.5 percent) since April 2019. Lenawee and Hillsdale counties’ employer demand remained resilient to shutdown efforts to slow the pandemic. The increase in the number of monthly online ads indicate employer demand for jobs has slowly began to increase into Q4 2020.
Quarterly Posting Analysis Lenawee and Hillsdale Counties 2020
